Printing machine



NOV. 13, 1934. w CULLEN ET AL 1,980,188

PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 16. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 III III II l l ll ll I l II I INVENTORS. W////'am I. Cal/e 4 4 0 Z C a r/ 406/ fer BY um MMm d- @M ATTORNEYS NOV. 13, 1934. w CULLEN r 1,980,188

PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY wm/w 441W 2 6%ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1934. w CULLEN r 1,980,188

PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 16. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZZW/WW ATTORNE Y5Patented Nov. 13, 1934 PATENT OFFICE PRINTING- MACHINE William L.Cullen, Dearborn, and Simon Roth and Carl Hoefler, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 16, 1932. Serial No. 611,658

7 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for printing or reproducingmanuscript, drawings, etc.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine for thepurposes mentioned which will be completely automatic and will deliverthe original copy and the reproduced sheet to the proper receptaclewithout requiring manual aid.

Another object is to provide an automatic machine capable of feeding aplurality of independent sheets of varying sizes when both the originalcopy and the reproduced sheet are of approximately the same size.

A further object is to construct a machine adapted for convenientlymaking a plurality of copies successively from the same original sheet.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for separating the originalandreproduced sheets and to automatically feed the same to differentmechanism whereby the original sheet is returned to a convenient pointfor again being reproduced and the exposed sheet is fed to a developingmechanism for completing the reproduction process.

These and other objects are accomplished by 2 a machine hereinafter morefully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is an elevation of the machine with portions thereof brokenaway;

3 Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 1showing the rollers with the perforations exaggerated in size for thepurposes of illustration;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the roller of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end view of'the structure shown in Figure 4 as viewedfrom the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line 77 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the machine as illustrated in the drawings, the letterA designates generally the printing portion of the mechanism and theletter B the developing portion thereof. The printing portion A is ingeneral of known construction and comprises the printing compartment 10having suitable incandescent bulb 11 or other lighting devices within ahousing 12 which includes the curved transparent face 13. 14 is afeeding platform on which the operator may arrange the work to bereproduced. The work comprises the original sheet C and the blank D ofsensitized paper, the sheets being superposed and fed simultaneously tothe printing device. The feeding mechanism comprises the endless beltconveyor 15 which travels over the rollers 16, 17, 18 and 19 and iscaused to slide over the convex outer surface of the transparent panel13. Thus the sheets C and D are caused to travel between the endlessbelt conveyor and the transparent panel 13, and the rate of feed is suchas to expose the sensitized paper D for the proper length of time duringits travel in contact with the panel 13.

At the upper portion of the printing mechanism is a roller 20 which, asshown, is supported in the side frame members 21 and 22 of the machine.The roller has an entrance guide panel 23 and an exit guide panel 24,which panels are arranged to be closely adjacent the surface of theroller 20. There is also the upper guide panel 25 which is slightlyspaced from the roller 20 and serves to feed the sheets into such closeconv tact therewith as to permit the separating action hereinafter morefully described.

The roller 20 is in the form of a cylindrical shell 26 having a seriesof slots 27 therein extending peripherally for a portion of thecircumference. The alternate rows of slots 2'7 are staggered and thearrangement is such that the entire surface of the roller is coveredwith the perforations. The width of the perforations is preferably verysmall as illustrated in Figure 1 and is much exaggerated in Figures 3and 4 for the purpose of illustration. Within the shell 26 is a tubularconduit 28 having a cross-wall 29 dividingthe conduit into two portions30 and 31. The portion 30 is arranged adjacent to the guide wall 25,while the portion 31 is arranged adjacent the exit guide wall 24 andmeans is provided for creating a vacuum in the portion 30 and a slightpressure in the portion 31. By reason of the vacuum within the portion30 air is drawn inwardly through the slots 27 adjacent the guide wall 25and by reason of the pressure in compartment 31 air is forced outwardlythrough the same slots when they have advanced to a point adjacent theexit guide 24. The effectis such that as the two sheets C and D are fedinto proximity of the roller 20, the suction through the slots causesthe inner sheet C to cling to the periphery of the roller, whereas theother sheet D not being affected by the suction is allowed to continuein its original direction. Thus the two sheets C and D are caused totravel in different directions. The 51. C continues to follow the roller20 until it reaches the zone opposite the compartment 31 where theoutward pressure through the slots causes the edge of the same to blowaway from the roller and engage the exit guide 24. The sheet C thereuponslides down the guide 24 into the trough 32 which is immediately abovethe platform 14 at a convenient point so that the operator may again f\ed the sheet through the machine.

Immediately above the guide 25 and in the path of the sheet D is asecond conveyor belt 33 which is arranged to seize the sheet D and feedthe same through the developing apparatus. Thus as shown the belt 33 isof the endless type and is mounted to travel around the rollers 34, 35and 36. 37 is a trough containing a solution adapted to develop thesensitized paper used in the machine and 38 is a roller continuallydipping in the developer and arranged in the path of the sheet as itemerges from the conveyor 33'. A cooperating roller 39 is arranged so asto permit the sheet to pass between the same and the developing roller38, after which it is fed into the path of the conveyor 40. The latterconveyor passes the rollers 41, 42, 43 and 44 and causes the sheet D topass around the periphery of the roller 44 and around the periphery ofthe roller 43 between the latter and the guide 45. After leaving theguide 45 the sheet is permitted to travel downwardly to the roller 42where it falls by gravity into the trough 32 arranged immediately belowthe same.

is shown in Figure 4, the compartment 30 within the roller is connectedthrough the interior passage 46 with a suction chain 47 which, as shown,comprises a motor 48 and an impeller 49. The amount of vacuum within thecompartment 30 is regulated by means of a suitable valve 50 within theoutlet conduit 51, the valve being operated externally through thehandle 52.

The compartment 31 is supplied by air under pressure through the conduit53 which may receive its supply of air from the outlet conduit 51 orfrom any other suitable source of pressure.

The machine is operated by suitable driving mechanism which, as shown,comprises the electric motor 55 which operates through the transmission56 and vertical driving shaft 5'7 driving the bevel gears 58 and 59, thelatter being on the roller 19. The roller 20 is preferably driven fromthe roller 19 by means of the gears 60 and 61. The developing portion ofthe mechanism may also be driven by suitable mechanism and, as shown,this comprises the separate motor 62 which operates through transmission63 and gear 64 to drive the conveyors 33 and 40 and the developingroller 38.

In the operation of the machine as thus far described the original sheetC and copy sheet D are superposed on the platform 14 and are fed intothe conveyor 15. When the two sheets have passed by the printing deviceto the roller 20 the suction from the roller 20 causes the originalsheet C to follow the curve contour of the roller, while the copy sheetD is permitted to pass directly into engagement with the conveyor 33.Thus a separation is effected, the original sheet being returneddirectly to the trough 32 where it may again be passed through theprinting device and the copy sheet being sent through the developingapparatus for finishing the reproduction of the original.

vWhile we have disclosed a single specific embodiment of our invention,it is to be understood that various modifications might be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and reservation is thereforemade to use such equivalents as come within the purview of the inventionas expressed in the claims appended hereto.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. Sheet feeding means including a roller, means tangent to the rollerfor guiding a sheet to the periphery of said roller, means for conveyinga sheet to said guide means, means tangent to the roller for guiding a.sheet from the periphery of said roller, and means for causing a sheetdischarged onto the roller from the first mentioned guide means tobecome engaged with the last mentioned guide means, including meanswithin the roller successively attracting and repelling the sheet.

2. Sheet feeding means including a roller having perforations in itsperiphery, means for guiding juxtaposed sheets to the periphery of saidroller, and means for causing the juxtaposed sheets to be separated andrespectively directed from the roller in different directionssubstantially at right angles to each other, including means associatedwith the roller for successively creating a vacuum and a pressure insaid perforations.

3. Sheet feeding means including a roller, means for guiding juxtaposedsheets to the periphery of said roller, and means for causing thejuxtaposed sheets to be separated and respectively directed from theroller in different directions substantially at right angles to eachother, including means for successively attracting and repelling thesheet nearest the roller.

4. Sheet feeding and separating means including a roller, means forguiding juxtaposed sheets to the periphery of said roller, means forconveying juxtaposed sheets to said guide means, means associated withsaid guide means for conveying one of said sheets from the periphery ofsaid roller, means for guiding the other of said sheets from theperiphery of said roller, and means for causing the juxtaposed sheetsdischarged onto the roller from the first mentioned guide means to beseparated and respectively become engaged with the second mentionedconveying means and second mentioned guide means, including means withinthe roller successively attracting and repelling the sheet nearestthereto.

5. Sheet feeding and separating means including a roller, means forguiding juxtaposed sheets to the periphery of said roller, means forconveying juxtaposed sheets to said guide means, means associated withsaid guide means for conveying one of said sheets from the periphery ofsaid roller, means for guiding the other of said sheets from theperiphery of said roller, said roller being provided with perforations,and means for causing juxtaposed sheets discharged onto the roller fromthe first mentioned guide means to be separated and respectively engagedwith the second mentioned conveying means and second mentioned guidemeans, including means within the roller for successively creating avacuum and a pressure in said perforations.

6. Sheet feeding and separating means includ ing a roller havingperforations in the periphery thereof, means including staggeredlyarranged substantially parallel panels substantially tangent to saidroller for guiding juxtaposed sheets to the periphery of said roller,sheet conveyer means adjacent the periphery of said roller, means forguiding sheets from the periphery of said roller, one of the panelsaforesaid being also operable to guide one of said sheets from theroller to said conveyer means, and means for separating the juxtaposedsheets so that one will be engaged with the conveyer means and the otherwill be engaged with the last mentioned guide means, including meanswithin the roller for successively creating a vacuum and a pressure insaid perforations.

7. Sheet feeding and separating means including a roller havingperforations in the periphery thereof, means including staggeredlyarranged substantially parallel panels substantially tangent to saidroller for guiding juxtaposed sheets to the periphery of said roller,said conveyer means adjacent the periphery of said roller, means forguiding sheets from the periphery of said roller, one of the panelsaforesaid being also operable to guide one of said sheets from theroller to said

